The girl looked again across the many faces gathering in the plaza, and then accepted the help of Don Antonio to alight. "But he is not here, Polonia--the handsome lover," she returned, and then walked past all the others and slipped her hand under the arm of Dona Luisa. "A thousand welcomes, senora," said Fernando, at the portal. "The town will rejoice to-day." "One welcome I had a right to expect at this door," the old lady answered, "and he is not here." "He will be heart-broken. He did not think you had yet reached San Diego. To-day he was to start for there. Will it please you to have this seat?" "Not yet," she said. "Raquelita!" Raquel Estevan gently disengaged her other hand from Dolores, and the frail old woman led her to the little shrine of the Virgin, where the candles glimmered. The others halted at the door, but Fernando and Dolores and Ana knelt also as the old woman and the girl from Mexico clasped hands and bent heads before the statue in the niche. The old woman rose first and kissed the girl's forehead. "My daughter," she said, faintly, "I welcome you for my son and for myself, to the land where you are mistress. Now, senor!" Fernando placed a chair for her, and she sank into it wearily. "My last journey, my children! You are the son of Manuel Mendez?--we called ourselves cousins once. I present you--all of you--to my daughter--Dona Raquel Estevan." "At your feet, senorita!" said Fernando. "I appreciate the honor of your acquaintance, senor," replied Raquel, in the conventional greeting of the day and land. Then the others crowded about, and spoke many pretty things of welcome. But in the midst of it all Dona Luisa arose, and leaning on Jacoba's arm, passed into the room prepared for her. The group left behind stared into each other's eyes. "How frail! How could any creature like that make the journey?" asked Fernando. "She has been very ill." "She _is_ ill; we dare not mention it to her!" "But Rafael--her son--" "Must not be told, so she says; not until the wedding is over. All at once she has gone like that. It is the heart, senor, and she is old. It may be months--may be days--may be only hours, and we can do nothing but keep her quiet and happy." "Santa Maria!" muttered Dolores, "and Rafael--" "His heart it will break--no? To not see him at the door is like a bad omen. She likes not the new Americanos' way of business--to be gone at breakfast time to look at ships! But of course he is very good!" "You are very good," replied Dolores. "Have they sent for Rafael?" "I will see," said Fernando, and went away muttering, "The so good Rafael!" "Oh! we have a thousand things to ask you, Raquel," said Madalena. "Could you have been a nun and been happy if--Rafael had not found you?" "To work for Mother Church--is not that of happiness?" "Never to dance! Never to hear a serenade! Never to watch on moonlight nights for a handsome caballero!" "I would as soon live in a tomb," confessed Dolores.